When Vampires Collide
by Amphipolis Angel
Summary: Damon, Elena, and Stefan head out to Forks, Washington in search of some Cullen vampire muscle to help defeat the originals. What they didn't count on was Jacob imprinting on Elena, Damon craving Bella in more ways than one, and Bella turning out to be . . . the doppelganger of Klaus' late wife?
1. Chapter 1

**When Vampires Collide**

**Chapter 1 – Welcome to Forks**

**Author's note: **Here is my first chapter of my _new_ Vampire Diaries/Twilight crossover!

I know a lot of people like to know the romantic pairings before they start reading a story, but I don't like to write anything in stone. I like to surprise my readers, but I will be fair and say I _may_ throw a wrench into the works, even though though I tend to stick with cannon couples, anything can happen!

This story will be told by many different POVs, but I will do none of that "writing the same scene through different eyes" stuff, so everything should flow pretty smoothly. To be honest, I'm just too lazy to spend time writing the same scenario through different perspectives. :)

Make sure to go to my profile and visit my blog where you will find the trailer I have made for this story. I highly recommend watching it. If the trailer doesn't thrill you, this story probably won't either.

Oh, and I absolutely _adore_ reviews! So make my day and post one. The more and more people I know who read my story, the more and more I will update.

I really hope you like it.

**Damon POV**

The sun was beaming overhead as my new, embellished, completely bad-ass Camaro rolled into the small town of Forks, Washington. I rolled my eyes at the brightness of my massive enemy. It seemed as if it was only there to annoy me, like most provoking things in my life . . .

It didn't seem to bother Stefan, who was in the backseat, mind you, with his arm around Elena, just enjoying the ride. Who was riding in the passenger seat? _No one_. But, I suppose, I liked it that way. If he or Elena _had_ been sitting next to me, it would have just irritated me greatly. No . . . I preferred being alone.

"Wow. I guess you guys weren't kidding when you said this town was a bit tiny," Elena said from the backseat, interrupting my train of thought.

I tapped my fingers impatiently on the steering wheel. "Maybe you'll just take our word for it next time, rather than ask a million abrasive questions." I turned the music up a notch louder.

"Turn left at the next stop sign," Stefan announced, leaning over the back of the passenger seat. "The hotel should be about a block down that street."

"I know, genius. Who do you think Map Quested this shit in the first place?" I asked, feeling my fingernails dig into the leather steering wheel cover.

Stefan sighed and leaned back into the loving arms of Elena. I rolled my eyes again, although it _was_ my idea to seek out these so called "different breed" of vampires to help us kill Klaus and the rest of the originals. Still . . . that wasn't going to stop me from complaining.

"You nervous?" Elena asked me, staring into my eyes through the rearview mirror.

I sighed, turning right. "No, dear Elena, I'm not nervous. Just a tad . . . agitated."

"He's just being Damon," Stefan chimed in.

Is three eye rolls in five minutes too much?

**Alice POV**

"Alice, what do you see?" Jasper asked me, grabbing my arm lightly, taking me out of my trance.

"There are vampires coming here . . . to Forks."

"What are you talking about?" he wondered, looking at me and then at Edward, who looked as if he was about to faint like a human.

My family and I were all gathered in our dining room, planning our next hunting trip, when the vision came to me. It hit me like a thousand bullets. All I was doing was thinking of Bella, not expecting anything unusual to come from it, and then _bam_!

I could see Edward's eyes bug out of his head. He had seen my vision with me. "_Bella_," he muttered, in pain like somebody had just put a sword through his heart.

"We'll protect her, Edward," I promised him. I wasn't bound to let anything happen to my little sister . . . not after _everything_ we had all been through. She was family, plain and simple.

"What the fuck are you guys talking about?" Emmett chimed in, bouncing off his previous seat on the dining room table.

I tried to put my vision into words the best I could. "All I saw was a tall, dark, man . . . vampire . . . holding Bella in his arms as he drank her blood," I replied softly, looking down. I hated the fact that I always seemed to be the bringer of bad news. Sometimes my gift seemed like a vexation, but, of course, without it we never would have been ready for Victoria and the newborns a few weeks ago. Had it really only been a measly couple of weeks since the redheaded villain and her army came to Forks?

It seemed like a_ lifetime_ ago.

"He doesn't look like a _vampire_," Edward managed to choke out. "Maybe your vision is wrong, Alice," he said, with a sprinkle of hope in his voice.

I shook my head. "No . . . there's something more. _Much_ more. I scratched my head lightly, trying to gather all of my thoughts. "It's almost like . . . he's a different _breed_ of vampire or something."

"Is that even possible?" Edward asked Carlisle.

Carlisle dropped his head and stared at his feet for a few seconds before responding. "It's the _others_," he replied, barely above a whisper.

"The others?" Esme asked, rubbing her hand gently on his back. "Are you sure?"

"Can somebody please tell me what the hell you are all talking about?" Emmett asked loudly, looking more confused than the rest of us.

"The others. The Volturi was said to have destroyed their kind back in the 1800s. Their kind is much different than ours, but yes, they _are_ vampires."

Edward slammed his first down on the table, cracking it in half. Normally Esme would have been all over him, but she just stood there, in shock, like the rest of us. "Why have you never said anything about these others? I have never heard you mention them even _once_!"

"Son, you don't understand," he said, placing a comforting arm on Edward's shoulder, doing his best to calm him down. "It's considered blasphemous to even _mention_ them. Aro once killed one of our kind for befriending them, and tortured another for simply gossiping about them. I didn't want any of you to get involved in that kind of situation."

"Fuck," Edward spat, which should have been shocking, but it wasn't. He had lost Bella once, he was not going to let it happen again. Still, I don't think I had heard Edward drop the f-bomb in over twenty years.

"I honestly thought they were extinct," Carlisle said, taking in a deep breath. "I was obviously wrong."

"Tell us everything know," Edward demanded.

**Bella POV**

I poked my head out from under my purple comforter and glanced at my tiny alarm clock. It was a quarter till two in the morning.

Edward had left around ten, promising he'd be back soon. I was worried. Where was he? It wasn't like him to not keep his word. I quickly reached for my cell phone from my nightstand. No missed calls. I decided to text him.

_hey. is everything okay? i thought you were coming back_

Within a matter of minutes Edward gracefully hurdled through my window. Before I even had a chance to say anything he had me in his strong arms.

"Oh my gosh," I muttered, my heart accelerating. "What's wrong?"

"Shhh," he muttered, kissing me on my forehead. "Everything's alright." The look in his eyes gave him away though, and I couldn't help but press the subject further.

"No, something _is _wrong," I said. "Tell me." He still just stood there, contemplating. "Edward Cullen! We do not keep secrets from each other, remember?" I ran my hand through his hair, trying my best to soothe him in any way I could. I didn't want to be kept in the dark about things . . . especially things that affected the two of us.

He inhaled deeply, smelling my hair in the process. His face was scrunched up in pain, and I knew whatever it was he was going to tell me wasn't going to be pretty.

"We have a _bit_ of a problem," he stated, trying his best to keep his cool. "Alice had a vision earlier . . ."

"The Volturi!" I interrupted, my thoughts flashing to Aro and his terrifying army. Nothing frightened me more than the ghastly leaders of the vampire world. Just picturing their deep, hungry, red eyes and enormous power sent a shiver down my spine.

"No!" he replied, kissing the top of my head. "It's not the Volturi. Alice saw some _other_ vampires coming to Forks. We don't know why, but it seems to have to do with you."

Surprise, surprise. Trouble always seemed to find me. How much more could I take? How much more could the Cullens take? How much more could _Edward_ take? "What exactly did she see?" I asked, afraid of the answer, but not being able to stop myself from asking.

"She saw a male vampire . . . drinking your blood." He shut his eyes but still held me close. I tried my best to catch my breath. "But, I don't want you to worry, love," he said reassuringly. "It's not an army, or even a large group. She saw only two of them. That was all. After the Volturi and the newborns, this will be a piece of cake."

I smiled slightly. "But . . . why?" I asked.

"We don't really know," he replied. "It also seems that they're not like us. They _are_ vampires, but a different kind, a different breed. Carlisle told me he had heard of them, but had thought that they had been extinct for many years."

"Different _breed_," I uttered, trying to process what that meant exactly.

It seemed so ironic to me that Edward had left last year to protect _me_. It seemed that I was the one who was always putting _him_ in danger. First it was James, who wanted to hunt me, and then it was Victoria and her thirst for sweet revenge, and now this? I felt _horrible_. Not scared, just completely sickened. How could I possibly put my loved ones through something like this again?

"Please don't worry, Bella," he said again, rubbing his hands on my arms. "I promise I won't let them come near you."

My own safety was the last thing I was worried about.

**Damon POV**

I lazily lied across my hotel bed, thankful to finally be by myself for a few minutes. The little road trip from hell all the way from Mystic Falls proved to be a stupid idea . . . a stupid idea from yours truly.

Why didn't we fly? Oh, yeah . . . because Sabrina the Teenage Witch had some "bad vibes" about us getting on a plane. Something about a bad storm or bad engine or . . . I forget. I had stopped listening midsentence, simply not caring about the specifics. It was my personal belief that Bonnie just liked to torture me. The forty hour drive had been completely hideous. Being around lovey-dovey Stefan and Elena made my insides sick, but I suppose I had constantly felt this way ever since she took him back.

I _definitely_ needed a drink.

I walked over and softly knocked on our joined hotel door. "Yeah?" Stefan asked, looking a tad annoyed. He must have been sick of the sight of my face as well.

"I'm going to go find the nearest bar," I told him, putting on my black leather jacket. "I'll see if I can find out anything. Don't wait up."

The closest bar I could find was a dinky little piece of shit bar, but I wasn't picky. It was called Mile Creek Bar and Grill, which made me lightly chuckle. What could they possibly be grilling in this smelly old place?

"Can I get a scotch, neat?" I asked impatiently to the young girl behind the counter. "Make it a double."

She smiled sweetly at me, no doubt in hopes of a high tip, and fetched my beverage in record breaking time. "Here ya go, hot stuff," she said, trying her best to be sexy, but failing miserably. Maybe she was after more than a hefty tip. But . . . I wasn't interested. The last thing I needed was _that_, especially when the girl in question had a skull tattoo on her collar bone and meth sores all over her face.

I needed to stay focused.

"Thanks," I said, not making eye contact.

Suddenly a police man sat down next to me, rubbing his hands together, looking like he needed a drink almost as much as I did.

"Hey Shelia, can I get a Rainier, please?"

"Coming right up, Chief Swan."

Oh, so we had a chief on our hands, huh? I wondered if he knew anything about the vampire situation in forks. After all, Sheriff Forbes seemed pretty knowledgeable about the situation back home. He'd have to know _something_ . . .

"Rough night?" I asked him, leaning over and handing the bartender a twenty. "Let me buy that for ya."

"Well, thanks," the chief replied, taking a long swig of his beer. He continued to stare at the bar's television set, which was playing some sports show, obviously not fond of conversation, especially from strangers. I seemed to have more in common with the guy with every passing minute . . .

"I'm actually new to the area," I said, turning on my charming voice. "I've read some things about animal attacks around these parts. Any reason to be concerned?"

He reluctantly took his eyes off the television and glanced at me. "Nothing to worry about right now. They've seemed to stop for the time being," he replied, politely, downing his beer as quickly as he could.

"Well, that's good to hear," I replied.

A few more chugs and he had finished the whole thing. "I've got to get home," he said, getting up out of his chair and putting his coat on. "I hope you enjoy Forks, young man."

"I plan to," I said, raising my drink, waiting until he was outside to follow him.

Just as the police chief was about to climb into his car, I grabbed him by the collar. Time for compulsion!

"What do you know about vampires in this town?" My eyes remained fixated on his.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he replied, which was bewildering. He really didn't know a thing? I sighed, realizing that these vamps were going to be much trickier to find than I had originally thought.

"You won't remember this. You left the bar and went straight to your car. You encountered no one."

He slightly nodded and then climbed into his car, leaving me alone with my frustrated thoughts.

**Elena POV**

When I woke up the next morning there was a complete sunless sky, which didn't really surprise me. This was one of the rainiest places in the county. Luckily, weather didn't affect my mood much. Besides, the rain was rather peaceful, the sounds and smell of it relaxed me.

"I'm surprised the storm didn't wake you up last night," Stefan said, walking into the bathroom and wrapping his arms around me from behind. There had been a storm last night? I looked at him through the reflection of the bathroom mirror and smiled.

"I slept more sound than I have in a while," I admitted, looking down. "It's nice to sleep in your arms again."

Stefan and I had only recently gotten back together. He had begun to forgive himself for the past. It was going to take a while, but every day it got a tiny bit better. He had also finally come to terms with the fact that his bloodlust wasn't something he was going to conquer in its' entirety, especially not overnight. For now, he was drinking from blood bags, not animals.

He was so desperate to be the man he once was, but even I had agreed with Damon: He needed to be his strongest to take on the originals. Damon thought that he should never try to go back to animal blood, that he should "embrace the vampire within", and stop trying to be perfect. I, for one, just wanted Stefan to be happy.

Stefan gently kissed the back of my neck as I finished brushing my teeth. "It must also be nice to be away from Mystic Falls," he said.

"And away from the originals," I agreed.

"I'm going to go talk to Damon," he said. "I'll be right back."

"Actually, I was thinking of going for a run."

He shook his head. "Probably _not_ the best idea, with vampires running around."

I smiled. "I'm used to that. I'm also used to you letting me make my_ own_ decisions."

The look on his face proved I had won. "Alright, just be careful, alright? Stay close by. Keep your cell phone on you."

"I will."

When I walked out into the parking lot of the hotel I put on my jacket. It was a bit chilly out, but even that couldn't bring me down. I was away from Mystic Falls and away from so much stress. This was a much needed vacation, even if we_ were_ here on business.

Only moments later I felt a gaze. I turned around a saw a man, who seemed to be fixing his motorcycle, staring at me as if I was the first woman he had ever seen. We were the only ones in the parking lot, the hotel looked like it was vacant. My instinct told me to go back into the hotel, that maybe Stefan was right about it not being safe here.

But then I looked at the man again and realized he was just a boy. He couldn't have been much older than 16. Just another horny adolescent. I suppose my running shorts were a bit too revealing. I should just feel complimented and go ahead on my run.

Unfortunately, I didn't have a chance. The boy was fast approaching me.

I smiled at him, still a little bit uneasy. He smiled back, and instantly I felt at ease. The smile was of such kindness, it actually made me feel warm inside. "Excuse me, I just couldn't tear myself away," he said, looking slightly serious.

"It's okay," I said, shrugging.

"You're staying in the hotel, so I figure you're not from here," he said, his voice quivering. Was this really just a guy who was trying to flirt with a girl he found attractive? He was acting as if he already knew me, as if I had cast some kind of spell upon him.

"Yeah, I'm from Virginia," I replied. "I'm Elena."

"I'm Jacob."

**Stefan POV**

I had noticed them from the window. While Damon was on one of his classic tirades, I had glanced out, not expecting to find Elena talking to a dark-haired guy with a bike. "Wow. He's a good-looking guy," Damon said, looking out the window with me. "Better watch out, Stefan. Maybe I'm not the one you should constantly be worried about."

I wanted to punch the grin off his face. "I'm just worried because we don't know who the vampires are in this town. Don't you care about Elena's safety?"

"Oh, please," Damon spat. "He's just a kid." He glared right back at me. "I'm not buying it." He took another drink from his glass of brandy and gave me a smug smile. "You're_ jealous_."

"You're delusional."

"You know, jealousy doesn't look good on you," he replied. "Trust me . . . I know." Then I saw his grin disappear and he said, "and you know I care about protecting Elena. Who do you think did so when you were busy with Klaus?"

I chose to ignore Damon's last comment, although it stung, and go out there to see if everything was alright. "Where are you going?" he asked.

"I'm gonna see who this kid is."

"I'll come, too."

When we got out there I immediately felt a strong mystical presence . . . something that wasn't human. Either his kid was a vampire, or a witch, or a . . .

"Stefan!" Elena said happily, grabbing my arm. "I want you to meet my friend, Jacob."

Immediately I saw his eyes turn dark and his breathing heavy. "Get the fuck away from her," he demanded, grabbing Elena by the arm and tearing her away from me.

Damon was on it in a second.

He was now holding the boy above the ground by his neck, smiling at the him. "Who the _fuck_ are you?"

He ignored Damon. "I said, get away from her!" You could barely hear him because Damon was gripping his neck so tightly with his hands.

"Let him go," I said.

Damon reluctantly loosened his grip and the boy fell to the ground. He took a minute to catch his breath, and then he stared hatefully back at me. "Get your _blood-sucking_ hands off her!"


	2. Chapter 2

**When Vampires Collide**

**Chapter 2 – Imprinting Irritation**

**Stefan POV**

We had been conversing with Jacob for over an hour now, and I still couldn`t believe my ears. Not only was he a werewolf (or a "shape-shifter" as _he_ put it), but he had also "imprinted" on my girlfriend. He had explained imprinting in total detail, and yet I was still confused about the entire concept of it. This kind of stuff wasn't from our world. It seemed that not only were we in new territory, but we had also entered the Twilight Zone. Suddenly Mystic Falls seemed so normal . . . which was saying _a lot_.

"Look, I know this is all foreign to you guys," Jacob said, "but there's no way in hell that I can simply just walk away." He turned to Elena and gave her a fragile smile. ''I must seem like a damn stalker.''

To my surprise (and disgust) she smiled back. ''It's not your fault." I was repulsed by the whole situation happening before me.

"Oh, _please_,'' Damon complained. ''This whole imprinting thing could be totally made up.''

I smiled at my brother, surprised that I was on the verge of laughing. ''Who would make up something like _that_?''

He let out a chuckle. "You got a point there, bro.'' He then began to walk in circles around Jacob, who was standing three feet away from Elena, looking like he would give up his life for her at a moment's notice. ''I'll make you a deal, pup.'' Jacob growled at him, despite being in human form. We had seen him "shift" in the parking lot, which, I must admit, was _incredible_. I had never seen anything like it in my entire existence. ''You tell us where the vampires are, and we won't keep you away from Elena.''

''Damon . . ."

''It's cool, Stefan. Let's bargain with the kid.''

Normally, we would have just used compulsion, but it seemed that he was immune to our talent, and we suspected that the other vampires would be as well.

''No way,'' Jacob replied quickly. ''My best friend is actually, uh, well . . .engaged to one.'' He surely noticed the dumbfounded looks on our faces. ''I'm not getting her involved.''

"Wait,'' Elena cut in, ''your best friend is a wolf, too?''

He shook his head. ''She's human.'' He lovingly grinned at her. ''You'll love her, Elena.''

''Yes, she will,'' Damon agreed, ''when _we_ meet them all tonight.''

Tonight? Perhaps Damon was pushing it a little too much. Besides, we didn't want to seem _too_ eager. It was embarrassing enough that we couldn't handle the originals on our own, but it was even more embarrassing that it had resorted to _this_. Part of me was sickened by the fact that I still had not defeated Klaus, but the other part of me reminded myself that my obsession with destroying Klaus almost cost me Elena.

''Listen here, blood-sucker,'' Jacob demanded. ''I said . . .''

''We just want to ask for their help.''

Jacob squinted his eyes at my brother. ''Yeah? With what?''

''With killing the original family of vampires,'' Damon replied, acting as if it was a small favor.

''Original family?'' Jacob looked skeptical. ''Now _that _sounds made up.''

''It's not,'' Elaina replied, receiving Jacob's complete attention. ''Klaus is the one who we're really worried about.''

''Klaus?''

Damon grinned. ''Oh, and you'll _love_ him, Jacob. Not only is he half werewolf, but he enjoys turning other werewolves into hybrids.'' Jacob seemed slightly confused. ''You know,'' Damon explained, ''half vampire, half werewolf.''

''He does _what_?''

Damon's grin became more apparent, and we both knew we had him. ''Yeah,'' Damon went on, ''oh, and he needs Elena's blood to create them.'' Damon leaned in closer to Jacob, who would phase again if Damon wasn't more careful. ''She's his own little blood bank, if you will.''

''I'll kill that fucking leech myself!''

Damon patted him on the back. "Calm down, Pluto. First things first: Introduce us to the vampires.''

Jacob sighed, frustrated with his anger and my brother. ''_Fine_.''

Damon winked at me. ''Time to set up the Klaus trap.''

**Edward POV**

"I'm coming!" Bella exclaimed, again, looking as if I had just lost my mind. She didn't understand that I couldn't possibly let her come with us. We had no idea what these vampires were even capable of yet.

Carlisle knew only a few things. For starters, it seemed that they had the power to "compel" people. Carlisle had been told that it didn't work on us, but we had Bella to worry about. Luckily, vervain counteracted it, at least it had back in the 1800s. Who knew how much more powerful they had become? Carlisle had purchased some of the herb online and had it shipped immediately, taking every precaution.

Apparently their kind couldn't go out into the sunlight without burning, but in Alice's vision the dark haired one (the one she saw drinking Bella's blood) was out in the sunlight without any problem at all. This wasn't good. Carlisle had a theory that they had probably evolved past that.

Luckily, Carlisle also knew the most important thing: How to kill them. It seemed they were much easier to kill than our kind was, which was probably going to be the biggest advantage over all. All that was required was a stake through the heart. This news had made Emmett fall onto the ground laughing. It was so . . . _conventional_. Perhaps vampire folklore wasn't as laughable as we had originally thought.

"You _can't_ come, love," I told Bella, lifting her chin and gazing into her brown eyes. "It's just too dangerous."

She sighed, not ready yet to give up yet. "I thought we had agreed that it's even _more_ dangerous when we are separated." She clung to my body as if she would never see me again, which melted my inactive heart. "I can't bare for you to go without me. The worry will be worse than anything these guys could possibly do to me."

"You're_ not_ coming, Bella." I was rarely so stern with Bella, but I worried less about hurting her feelings when her life was at stake. The very _thought_ of losing her was more than my mind could tolerate. I knew for a fact that I could never go through that kind of torture again. Bella had a history of acting audacious in situations like this, and I wasn't going to let anything harm her.

"I can't believe you're actually serious," Bella muttered, crossing her arms like a three-year-old. I smiled at her, unable to resist admiring her stubbornness.

"Edward!" Alice yelled, coming into my bedroom. "We have a problem."

"You guys aren't going?" Bella asked, hope spilling out of her words.

But I knew what Alice was going to say, and even as she said it, I still didn't understand how they knew about us.

"They're coming here."

Within seconds I had grabbed Bella in my arms and we were in the living room, with the rest of my family. I felt my vampire senses on overdrive, trying desperately to hear any thoughts that may be lurking outside our home.

Would I even be _able _to read their thoughts?

Carlisle hadn't known whether my gift would work on them or not, but I was anticipating the worse. Although Alice had seen them in visions, I couldn't shake this ghastly feeling that their minds would be mute.

"I've lost them," Alice whispered.

"What?" I began to panic.

"I don't know what happened," she replied. "Everything went black."

Carlisle looked at his watch. "Do you all have your vervain?" We all had some in our pockets, just in case their compulsion abilities had evolved, too. If they had, and these vampires could in fact compel us, we were in for a catastrophe of epic proportions. The only thing my brain could process as the minutes ticked by was one thought: _Protect Bella._

I felt my body release a sigh of relief, even though the vampires were now merely feet away. I _could_ read their thoughts . . .

_There has to be some way to talk them into helping us._

_How in the hell do these vamps live here with all these freaking windows?_

And then I heard someone's thoughts that I hadn't been expecting:

_The Cullens are gonna be so pissed._

Jacob.

"Jacob's with them," I said whispered, quietly enough so that Bella couldn't hear.

"No wonder I lost them," Alice replied, no doubt relieved that her powers were still working.

"He must be compelled," I replied, not being able to think of any other logical explanation as to why he would be with them.

I felt Bella jump as the doorbell rang. I rubbed my hand soothingly up and down her back, doing what I could to prevent her anxiety. "I won't let them hurt you," I whispered into her ear, kissing the top of her head.

"It's not _me_ I'm worried about."

Carlisle opened the door, studying the two broad figures that were standing by Jacob and a slender brunette girl, who Alice had also seen in her visions. We were hoping that the fact that they were here with a human girl meant that they weren't here to start world war three.

"Jacob," Carlisle greeted. "What's going on?"

"I'm sorry, doc," Jacob replied, putting his hands in the air as a white flag. "They just want to talk. They need your help."

The dark haired one looked annoyed . . . or perhaps perplexed. The younger looking one looked in at all of us, and I could tell from his thoughts that he hadn't known they would be so outnumbered. He then looked at Jacob and asked, "They know what we are?"

"We know a lot," Jasper chimed in, and I could feel the relaxed mood he was releasing.

"So you know we're only here to ask for your help," the dark haired one said. "I'm Damon. This is my brother, Stefan, and his girlfriend, Elena. And, you know the mutt, already."

"Fuck you," Jacob growled, pushing past them and walking inside.

"We mean you no harm, I promise!" Stefan said. "We've traveled a long way to ask you guys for assistance."

"What kind of assistance?" Alice asked.

"Can we come in?" Stefan asked.

"Wait," I let out. "Don't invite them in." I was surprised when their thoughts let me on the fact that they had to be invited inside in order to enter. What next? Did garlic hurt them, too?

Damon smirked. "Smart kid."

I glared at him. "We can go sit on the patio," I suggested. "It's a nice night."

**Damon POV**

We found ourselves sitting on expensive-looking chairs on their ridiculously decked out patio. It was a dark night, the moon and stars were hidden by clouds. Jacob had stayed inside with his friend, Bella, who I hadn't got a clear look at yet. I wondered why she was rolling with a pack of vampires. Maybe she was as harebrained as Elena.

The hot blonde vampire turned on some outdoor lights, allowing us to really see what they looked like.

"Your eyes are so damn creepy," I couldn't help but say. It was the most pronounced color of gold I had ever seen. I hadn't noticed their striking color when we first arrived.

"What my brother _means_," Stefan interrupted, "is that we're in shock right now, meeting all of you. We didn't even know you guys existed until a couple weeks ago."

"How did you find out about us?" the short, weird girl asked.

"Our friend, Bonnie," Stefan replied. "She has certain . . . powers."

"Your kind has special powers?" she wondered.

"Oh, she's not a vampire," Stefan admitted. "She's actually a witch."

The big one started laughing. "A witch?" He rubbed his hands together, as if he had not a care in the world, like this was all just a game to him. "This just gets better and better."

"Emmett," the older (but still hot) woman warned.

"I'm Alice," the short one said, "and that's Jasper, Carlisle, Esme, Emmett, Rosalie, and Edward," she finished, pointing at each one of them. The one named Edward was staring icily at me, which was pestering. He was like a fly that I couldn't swat away. I watched him from the corner of my eye, wondering why he seemed so fixated on me.

"So I'm guessing that you've heard of us?" I asked, lifting my feet and lounging across the wooden bench, determined to look as relaxed as they seemed. The last thing I wanted was for these vamps to think that _they_ had the upper hand. We didn't just need to get them to help us, but we needed them to feel _obligated_ to help us, like it was their duty as fellow vampires or something . . .

Carlisle nodded. "I've been aware of your kind for many years, but up until now I had thought that you had all died out." He folded his hands in his lap, looking calm and collected. "What's your business with Jacob?"

"Believe me, it's not _our_ business," I replied. "It seems the dog is obsessed with Elena over there." They all looked over into the corner where Elena was sitting next to Stefan, keeping her mouth shut for once. "Yeah, what's with this imprinting shit?" I asked.

"He _imprinted_?" Alice asked, appalled. The big one, Emmett, was laughing again.

"You guys heard of it?" Elena asked, breaking her short-lived silence.

"When a wolf imprints he becomes unconditionally bound to his imprint for the rest of his life," Alice told her in a serious voice.

"For life," Elena repeated, slowly taking a deep breath.

"You've got to be _kidding_," I said.

"Afraid not."

"How do we stop it?" Stefan asked.

"You can't stop it," Alice replied simply.

"_Great_," I spat. "So we're stuck with a teenage mutant ninja wolf stalking Elena for the rest of our lives." I smiled sarcastically. "That's just what we need." I couldn't stop myself from going on a full-fledged rant. "Next we'll have Tyler Lockwood imprinting on Stefan." I heard Stefan chuckle. "Why in the hell do you know this stuff anyway? Since when do vampires get along with werewolves?"

"Shape-shifters," Alice annoyingly corrected.

"But she doesn't feel the same way," Stefan said, speaking for Elena, who just looked overwhelmed.

"That . . . could be a problem," Alice replied.

"_Why_?" Elena asked.

"Because it will actually cause Jacob physical pain to go even one day without being near you," she told Elena, looking at the three of us like we were morons for not knowing this fucked-up knowledge. "That kind of separation would be agonizing for him."

I rolled my eyes. "And we're supposed to care, why?"

"Because it could troublesome for Elena, too."

"Why?" Elena asked again.

Alice frowned. "I'm not for certain. I've never heard of a wolf being _rejected_ by his imprintee."

"You can't be serious," Stefan said, rubbing the sides of his head.

"What causes it?" Elena asked.

"They don't really know," Alice replied. "One theory is that a wolf will imprint on the girl with whom he has the best chance to reproduce with."

I made a gaging noise, which the weird girl ignored.

"Another theory is that imprinting is designed to make a wolf stronger . . . more protective."

Elena was trying to take it all in. "Protective?"

"He will be your protector for life," Alice said, as if Elena should think that this whole imprinting thing had a positive side to it.

"So what happens when Elena tells him to leave her alone?" Stefan asked.

"As I said before, it's never happened, but he would ultimately respect her decision, I think." She shrugged.

"Well, that's taken care of," I said. "We'll tell Pluto to get lost."

The weird girl frowned at me. "He'll never be able to find another person who can take Elena's place. He will forever be in a state of loneliness and grief if she rejects him."

"So . . . what you're saying is that Elena should feel _obligated_ to try and fall in love with him?" I couldn't believe it. Were these vamps insane?

"That's not what she's saying," the one with the scars cut in. He looked absolutely hideous. "When a wolf imprints on someone it's because he has found his perfect match. He becomes whatever she may need or want."

Just as I was about to come back with a snide comment, something happened . . .

Before I could even comprehend what was going on. . . I smelt something. It smelled so delectable . . . so _enticing_. The aroma filled my nostrils, making it impossible to concentrate on anything else.

_Blood_.

I _had_ to have it. _Now_.

"Edward?"

It was the human girl.

_Bella_.

Without a second of hesitation my mouth flew towards the girl, ready to drain every single ounce of blood from her body. But instead of feeling my teeth going into her soft flesh, I felt myself smash into a stone wall, or . . . what felt like a stone wall. I felt my nose break as my head got smashed into the cement ground by Edward.

I didn't know what had just happened, but I did know one thing: I wasn't going to have this snot-nosed teenage vampire beat my ass.

I jumped back to my feet, ready to let Eddie have it, when I noticed that his entire family was crouching down, ready to attack me at any moment.

"I think we got off on the wrong foot . . ."


	3. Chapter 3

**When Vampires Collide**

**Chapter 3 – Bloodlust and Bombshells**

**Author's note:** I hope you like the new chapter. It contains a twist, which I'm kind of excited about. I have the storyline set up for many chapters to come, so I hope you'll stay with me on this ride. It would be fabulous if you'd write a review and let me know how you think it is going.

**Stefan POV**

This was_ just_ what we needed: Damon losing complete control over this craving for blood. Why _Bella_? Didn't he know just how much this was going to fuck up _everything_? How in the world would we ever talk the Cullens into helping us now? Our entire situation was starting to seem hopeless. Our plans were crumbling before our very eyes, and I wondered if maybe it had been a mistake to even come to Forks in the first place.

"Are you crazy?" I asked Damon. The Cullens were still crouched down, baring their sharp teeth, ready to tear him limb from limb if he made one wrong move.

Damon slowly released Edward and put his hands into the air, surrendering. His adrenaline was still racing, and he was trying to catch his breath. It was a Damon I wasn't at all accustomed to. "I'm sorry," he muttered looking at me and then at Bella, who was now being shielded by Edward.

"Leave," Edward demanded. "_Now_."

"I don't know what came over me," Damon said, his voice rushed, looking as confused as I had ever seen him. The look on his face was so . . . foreign. "That smell," he whispered. "The smell of_ her_ blood . . ."

"_Leave_!" Edward hissed, showing off his teeth again, longing to rip my brother to shreds.

"Wait," Alice said, standing up and walking over to Damon. "What about her blood?"

Damon was breathing hard still, trying his best not to look at Bella. "I've never came across something like this . . . like _her_ . . . before," he admitted. He made eye contact with Bella, and I heard Edward hiss again. "It's like her blood is . . ." He was searching for the right words, but I, as his brother, knew he wouldn't find them. "Her blood . . . it's just . . ."

"Irresistible," Edward cut in, still glaring at Damon. "He's feeling exactly the way I felt when I first saw her," Edward spat. "He's not going to be able to control it. Get him out of here."

"Please . . . we came all this way," I said, trying to calm down the situation. "Damon . . . leave."

I could tell Damon was about to argue with me, but once he saw the furious look on my face he obeyed. He slowly walked away, probably wondering if he should really be listening to me. After all, how often did he do what I told him? He stopped about ten feet away and turned around and said, "I'm sorry." It seemed genuine, and the sorrowful look on his face seemed to prove it.

"Just go," Edward said.

Once Damon was out of the picture, things seemed to calm down a lot. Elena was sitting next to Bella now, both of them amazed that not only were they both mortal girls in love with vampires, but that they also shared many of the same interests. Edward continued to keep a protective arm around Bella, though I can't say I blame him.

When the mood finally settled on relaxed, I went into my speech about how we needed their help. Seconds after even muttering the word _originals_, I saw a vampire twitch in horror . . .

"The originals," the doctor, Carlisle, muttered after I told him the purpose of our visit to Forks. "I just can't believe they're still . . ._ alive_ . . ."

Edward glared at him. "You knew about them as well?"

Carlisle closed his eyes, taking a quick moment to himself. When he opened them I saw a broken man. Sorrow and guilt swept over his face, and my gut instinct told me that I was about to be let in on something unreal. I could just . . . feel it. The words that were about to come tumbling out of the doctor's mouth would forever change everything.

My gut was usually right about these things.

"_Klaus_," he said simply, looking me straight in the eye. "You want us to help you kill Klaus."

"Do you know him?" I asked.

He just stood there for a moment, looking at his family as if it was for the last time. And then, from the corner of my eye, I saw Edward drop to his knees in a silent sob.

I heard the scarred vampire's voice. "Alice, what do you see?"

"What? What's the matter?" Elena asked, standing up, looking about as panicked as I was.

"Haven't we been through enough?" Edward muttered into the ground. Bella was now kneeled down beside him, rubbing his back, asking him what had happened.

"I'm sorry," Carlisle said to Edward.

"What's happening?" I demanded to know.

"They're coming here," Alice muttered, looking like she was in a trance. "They'll be here in a couple days."

"How do you know?" Elena asked.

"I just do," she replied simply.

I saw Edward's head tilt up towards my direction, and I'm afraid I will never forget that look on his face. It shall stay etched into my brain for all eternity. To see a vampire . . . an_ immortal_ . . . have their face scrunched up in that kind of excruciating agony was almost more than I could bear.

"Tell us," I demanded again, bending down slightly. Edward's eyes met my eyes, and I suddenly felt bonded to him, but I couldn't tell you why.

"_Klaus_," Edward snarled. I could tell he was trying to keep his emotions in check, which was hard for any vampire. He also seemed to be drifting back and forth from being lost in thought to trying to actually get the words out that would tell us what this was all about. "Goddamn Klaus!" He yelled, picking up an empty patio chair and hurling it across the back yard. Although I was completely wrapped up in the present situation, I noted to myself that these vampires_ did_ seem stronger than us. He threw the chair so far that it was now broken into pieces, spread out in the woods.

"Do you know him?" I asked Edward, bringing him out of his racing thoughts.

"Yes."

"Klaus?" Bella asked. "Who is he? Edward?" The poor girl looked so confused. That made two of us.

"What do you know?" Elena asked.

Okay,_ three_ of us . . .

"Klaus," he said again, this time in a whisper. "He's not fond of us . . . "

Was I missing something? "What do you mean?" I asked him. "He knows you guys?" I asked, looking around at the worried faces of the Cullen clan.

"Not our _family_," Carlisle jumped in. "He's the biggest enemy _our kind_ has ever known."

"Wait," Elena said, trying as hard as I was to grasp exactly what was being said. "You're saying that Klaus hates all vampires that are . . . like you . . ."

Carlisle nodded. "Yes . . . but, it's more than that, I'm afraid."

I felt my right eyebrow arch up a notch, as it usually does in intriguing conversations like this. "More?"

"The Volturi," Carlisle started, crossing his legs, trying to stay calm, "tried to have him executed many centuries ago." He then must have noticed the bewildered look on my face. "The Volturi are pretty much the leaders, if you will, of our kind. They are the most powerful coven."

"They like to think they own the whole damn vampire world," the football player (at least he looked like one) vampire said.

"They pretty much _do_," his girlfriend, Rosalie, I believe, argued.

"The Volturi saw your kind as a threat," Carlisle explained. "They knew Klaus was the most deadly of them all, and they ordered him executed."

"What happened?" Elena asked.

"They executed him," he said, shrugging, and then a depressed smile appeared on his face. "Or so they thought." He looked straight up at me. "They believe all of your kind has been deceased." He seemed impressed about that. "How could they have never found any of you?" He was awestruck.

"Same thing goes for your kind," I said, crossing my arms. "How come we've never even heard of the _Volturi_?" I questioned. "How come we hadn't even known that your kind existed until just recently?"

"It seems we have much to figure out," Carlisle agreed, "and much to learn about each other."

I looked back at Edward, who was still in a befuddled state. We still hadn't been told why he just seemed to have a major vampire panic attack. He certainly wouldn't be _afraid_ of Klaus. I saw the way he pounced on Damon, in a split second, with no fear at all. I had just met the guy, but I already knew that cowardliness was not one of his personality traits.

And why did he seem to know what Carlisle was going to say_ before_ he said it? Did these vampires have some kind of telepathic powers that we weren't aware of?

That was_ just_ what we needed.

"Edward," I said, grabbing his attention, as well as Bella's, who was still caressing his back. "What happened to _you_? I mean, why did you freak out like that?"

Edward looked up at Carlisle, defeat in his eyes, nodding slightly, adding more hints of a telepathic communication. He then looked at Bella, kissed her gently on her forehead, and whispered in her ear, "I won't let him hurt you."

Bella shook her head and clung to Edward's chest. She was acting as if Edward had lost his mind completely (which may have been a possibility). "What does this have to do with _me_?"

Again, Edward glanced at Carlisle. These silent conversations were starting to get extremely annoying.

"Let me explain," Carlisle said, more to Edward than to any of us. He seemed to know Edward wasn't strong enough to stand up and tell a long story. "Aro . . . he has a great power. He can simply take your hand and he can actually read every thought you've ever had . . . about anything."

"Seriously?" I asked. "Are you all like that?" I looked around at each one of them suspiciously.

"Just him."

"Come on," I grunted. "I see the way you're looking at each other." I pointed to him and then at Edward. I wasn't a fool. "Can you honestly tell me you weren't having a silent conversation a second ago?"

"No, that's just Edward," Alice said. I had almost forgotten she was even here. "He can read people's minds," she explained, as if it was the norm.

I knew we were dealing with some serious shit at the moment, but . . . I still had to ask. "Even other vampires? Damon and me?"

Alice nodded. I should have been freaking out, or at least been running through all of the thoughts that had gone through my head in his presence. This revelation should have provoked me greatly, or at least agitated me. Instead, I found myself thinking of the possibilities of having a mind reader on our side. Klaus didn't stand a chance . . .

"We're _not_ killing Klaus," Edward said. It was so weird to have somebody reply to something you didn't say out loud.

"Why?"

"Let me finish the story," Carlisle said, looking for patience, but I was running low on it in during that precise moment. "As I said, he can read every thought you've ever had."

"Did he read Klaus'?" Elena asked.

Carlisle nodded. "Yes . . . and this power seemed to infuriate Klaus tremendously. And it's not just Aro . . . many members of the Volturi have special powers. There's mind reading, mind torture, even incapacitating all of your senses. They've got their grounds covered in every way," he finished, looking pained again. He unbuttoned his white collar, looking almost as distressed as his so-called-son. "But Klaus found a way to combat that . . . to shield it."

"What?" I asked.

That's when Carlisle looked at Bella. His face immediately fell. He took a deep breath before answering my question. "He found a mortal girl who could resist the powers of the Volturi: A 16-year-old devout Roman Catholic named Alti. The Volturi could never quite figure out_ how_ she did it."

"Oh my god," Bella whispered as Edward kissed her cheek.

"Am I missing something?" I asked.

"Bella, too, is immune to Aro's powers, as well as Edward's. She seems to be able to . . . block it."

And that's when I realized why Edward had been freaking out so bad. Klaus _wanted_ Bella. Was it to take her powers? Was it to use her as protection?

"What happened to Alti?" Elena asked, obviously on the same page as I was.

Carlisle bowed his head, but just for a second, and then replied, "Klaus took her. He kidnapped her, in the middle of the night, while she was asleep in her bed. He was determined to find a way to take her powers."

"Did he?" But I already knew the answer.

"Yes," he replied. "Her blood."

"_What_?" Bella gasped.

"As long as he always had some of her blood in his system, he couldn't be controlled by the Volturi," Carlisle explained. "So he carted her around for years, drinking from her, draining not only her blood . . . but her entire life. He took her away from everything she had ever known." Carlisle shook his head.

"Did she ever get away?" Elena asked.

Carlisle surprised me by nodding. She escaped? But then the sad look on his face told another story. "She took her own life after a decade. She could no longer live like . . . _that_." He rubbed his hands over his face. "That poor girl."

"How'd she do it?" The football player asked.

"Emmett!" Esme (was it?) scolded. "That's not relevant."

It may not have been, but Carlisle provided the answer, anyway. "He watched her like a hawk. He kept her in a cage, cut off all of her contact with the outside world. All she had was him." Everyone was now listening closely, all of us feeling for this girl who had everything taken from her because of Klaus. _Klaus_. Always Klaus. "Klaus had suspected she may try to do something stupid one day, so he was extra careful. But . . . he wasn't careful enough. All of those bite marks, all of the times he had sucked her blood, left her body in such a weak state. It was easy for her to tear open her own skin." He shuddered slightly. "When he thought she was asleep in her cage, she used her fingernails to rip open her wrist. She made herself bleed to death."

"Oh my gosh," Elena muttered, putting her hand over her mouth. "That's so terrible." I grabbed Elena's hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. This couldn't be easy for her. After all, Klaus needed her blood as well . . . at least if he planned on creating any more hybrids.

Klaus needed to be stopped . . . permanently. He had to be taken down, and now I had assembled the best possible army to take him on.

It was time.

"No," Edward said to me. "We're not killing him."

I stood up, frustrated, losing my cool a bit, but I couldn't help it. "This mother-fucker's going to snatch up your girlfriend and you're just gonna sit by and watch?"

He slightly grinned. "Believe me . . . I want to kill him." He let out a quiet laugh. "I'd_ love_ to kill him." He then looked at me, studied me. It was almost as if he were judging my character. "You're a good guy, Stefan."

Were all of their kind this confusing? "Thanks, but what does this have to do with killing Klaus?"

Edward looked up at Carlisle, and that's when the biggest bombshell of my life exploded onto me.

I always prided myself on being prepared for anything, for always being one step ahead of everyone else. Cocky? Perhaps. I didn't really have a choice, though. When you live in a world with so much evil, so much killing, so much . . . _vengeance_ . . . you always need to be ready for whatever gets thrown at you.

But nothing could have prepared me for this . . .

"If you kill the originals," Carlisle started, looking at me with slight pity, "it will also kill every single vampire they have created as well."

And in that instant, everything changed.

Forever.

**Klaus POV**

"I've got the plane tickets, brother," Rebekah bragged, fanning herself with them. "Too bad these horrid creatures don't live in Hawaii . . . or at least Florida," she whined, plopping herself down on_ my_ favorite leather chair. "How did you find out about this anyway? How did you know they went to the others for help?"

"It's not important," I grumbled, throwing the rest of my things into my suitcase. "What _is_ important is that they _are_ there."

She laughed. "I hope you know what you're getting us into. How can we know these other vampires can't kill us?"

Sometimes I just felt like strangling her. Did all men find their sisters so utterly annoying? "I told you. I've dealt with them before."

"Whatever," she replied, bored with a conversation that didn't involve her. She had always been self-centered, but I suppose that most vampires are. "And how do you know about their powers?" she asked, not willing to give it up. "The mind reader? The mood setter? The fortune teller?" She rolled her eyes. "There's no way such things could work on us," she decided, getting into her purse and looking at herself in a hand mirror. "We've been around longer." She smiled at her reflection. "We're stronger."

"Of course," I agreed. My poor sister . . . I had no doubt in my mind that all of those things would work on her. I wasn't too concerned with it, really. These were vampires who sparkled in the sun and drank deer blood. If for some reason they did attack her, she'd have no one to blame but herself. When vampires with ridiculous moral standards are thrown into the mix, you just know they won't kill you unless they absolutely have to.

They valued lives. Even vampire ones.

The _fools_.

"You're not scared at all?" She asked, giggling, taunting me.

"Not a bit," I snapped back.

They may have their special little powers, but I was about to have a shield.

Bella Swan.


	4. Chapter 4

**When Vampires Collide**

**Chapter 4 – Melanie**

**Author's note: **I apologize for this chapter not being too lengthy, but I wanted to get the ball rolling for the chapters yet to come. I know a lot seems to be happening, but I assure you, things will slow down a bit once this story gets going a bit.

Ah, who am I kidding? My stories always seem to move a bit fast, but hopefully it will keep you interested. I would adore some more reviews so I know what you guys are thinking so far.

Hope you enjoy this!

**Elena POV**

He was doing it again . . . staring at me. When our eyes locked he gave me a wavering smile, no doubt clued in on my slight pestiferous state of mind. My expressions have always given me away; it's been happening since I was a little girl. I sighed and did my best to ignore him.

Still . . . there was something about him. Every time he looked at me . . . I just . . . felt _something_. I quickly glanced at Stefan, guilt clouding any ridiculous feelings of attachment I had for Jacob. I silently laughed to myself. I had spent so many horrendous hours pondering over my decision to choose Stefan over Damon . . . and now I was crushing on a werewolf . . . er . . . _shape-shifter._

If Carline were here she would be having a field day! Maybe it'd be smart to call her . . . and Bonnie . . . and discuss this sudden urge I had to . . .

To . . . _what_?

I dunno. Be_ near_ him . . . I guess.

What was wrong with me?

"Don't even _think_ about it," Edward said sharply at Damon, breaking me out of my little trance. Had Damon even said anything? Oh, that's right . . . he reads minds. Everything felt so foreign here in Forks . . . so . . . _different_. I didn't feel like myself.

I felt . . . lost.

Confused.

I guess I was bound to be feeling this way. Ever since the night before, when we found out that killing an original killed not only them, but everyone that they had turned. Disastrous didn't even _begin_ to describe our current situation. What on earth were we going to do?

What _could_ we do?

I had already been up all night with Stefan and Damon, going through different scenarios, trying to trace their bloodline back to one of them. All we ended up with was dead ends and major coffee hangovers. It was morning now, and the sun was actually shining, which royally pissed me off. Of course! The one day that I was on the verge of completely losing it . . . that's when it decided to make an appearance.

Welcome to my life.

"Come on, Eddie," Damon said, giving Edward one of his classic smug smiles. "There's no way anything will happen to Bella. I wouldn't let . . ."

"We're _not_ using her as bait!" Esme cut in, in a voice I didn't think such a tiny, adorable woman was capable of. I sadly smiled, realizing I was jealous over how protective she was over Bella. It was times like this when I really missed my mom. But, hey, who am I kidding? Thank God my parents weren't here for any of this. I had already put so many of my loved ones through so much . . .

"I want to do it," Bella said sternly, giving Edward a look that I knew all too well. I looked again at Stefan and he reached over and squeezed my hand, on the exact same wave length as me. It was almost as if we had found another couple that was like us in so many weird, crazy ways.

"Just let her do it," Rosalie agreed.

"_No_. _Way_." Edward seemed set in his ways, but I couldn't really blame him. Almost all of the vampires I had ever met had seemed to have a stubborn streak, and Edward was no different.

"We'll find a different way," Alice said optimistically.

I took in a vast breath and tried to calm down. Everybody was freaking out, talking over one another, and we weren't solving anything. "Maybe it'll just come to us," I said, shrugging.

Damon rolled his eyes. "So what's up with the scars?"

"_Damon_," Stefan nagged.

"What scars?" I wondered. Jasper grinned and pulled up his sleeve, exposing what scars he could. They looked very faded to me, but maybe they looked worse under vampire eyes? "Civil war," he replied simply.

"Really?" Damon asked. Damon took his arm and turned it over, inspecting it. "Don't tell me a Yankee did this to you."

Jasper laughed. "I _never _lost a fight." He pushed his sleeve back down. "I'll enlighten you about it some other time."

Maybe Damon was just trying to be friendly, make conversation, perhaps he was bored, but I think he was actually genuinely intrigued. "I served for a little bit . . ." he looked at Stefan, "right before we turned." I felt Stefan wince.

Jasper paused. "Looks like we turned around the same time."

"Interesting," Damon replied, no doubt putting the information in the back of his mind for later.

"I'm sorry to interrupt," I said, feeling silly to interfere with such human tribulations, "but I need to use the bathroom."

"I'll show you," Jacob replied, almost before I had even finished the sentence. Bella must have sensed my apprehension.

"I'll take you," Bella said, smiling shyly, and then physically unlocking her hand from Edward, who didn't look as if he ever wanted to let her go.

"Thanks."

"I'll be right back," she reassured him.

We walked into the Cullen house, which just as breathtaking as the Salvatore home, but in a totally different way. Stefan and Damon's home was completely traditional, looking as if nothing had been changed in over a century. It had that "vampire feel" to it. The Cullen house, on the other hand, was so futuristic looking: windows for walls, white carpet, bright decorations, and . . .

"Graduation caps?" I asked Bella as we walked up the steps.

She chuckled. "Yeah . . ." I continued to stare at her, so she went on, "I guess it's like . . . an inside joke . . . Because they've graduated so many times."

I just continued staring like a moron. "You mean . . . they've really went through high school this many times?"

"Well, except Esme and Carlisle," she replied.

"But . . . _why_?"

She shrugged. "I guess . . . because the younger they are when they relocate, the longer they can stay."

It made sense. Still, I couldn't imagine going through high school more than once. The thought alone made me shiver.

"The bathroom's right through there," Bella said, pointing to the door on the left.

I opened the door and entered, and I was about to shut it, but Bella held it open. "I'm sorry."

I stared at her like a moron again. "What are you apologizing for?"

"This whole Klaus thing. _Me_ . . . I just always seem to be causing trouble for everyone around me," she muttered, looking as if she might cry.

I knew it was gutsy, but I went with my emotions: I pulled her in for a hug. "Bella, believe me, I know how you feel." It felt remarkable to make that human bond with somebody else. It was almost as if it were only her and me there at the Cullen house, that there weren't nine vampires and one werewolf outside. She pulled away from the hug with a slight smile. "And if you apologize to me ever again I'm gonna have to kick your ass."

Her smile widened. "I've never been threatened by a doppelganger."

**Stefan POV**

"Are you girls hungry? Thirsty?" Esme, well-bred as always, asked Bella and Elena, and then she smiled, looking at Damon and me. "Oh, and you boys, too. I keep forgetting you need to eat."

"_Boys_?" Damon scoffed, but even he was affected by Esme's warmth and kindheartedness. He smiled faintly back at her. "Thanks anyway."

She wouldn't take no for an answer. "Alice, grab them something."

Elena sighed. "I suppose I should eat. The last thing we need is for me to faint from a hunger spell." I gently rubbed her shoulders and then kissed her forehead. I felt slightly accountable for forgetting about simple things . . . like the fact that my girlfriend was undeniably hungry. But, of course, if I said anything to Elena she would tell me that she was a big girl and could at least eat when she was hungry. Sometimes it seemed impossible to win with her, but I think that was one of the reasons I had first become so captivated by her.

She wanted to make her own judgments and slipups, and who was I to take that away from her?

A shatter suddenly broke the silence, and I looked up to find Alice standing there, holding . . . air. A broken plate that had been holding cheese and crackers now lay across the patio. Her hands did not move from their original spot.

"They're here."

"What do you see?" Jasper asked, swooping in and taking her right hand.

Everything seemed to be happening so fast.

"It's static now," she whispered, barely loud enough for even me to hear. "But I . . . I . . . saw them. A blonde man and woman . . ."

"Klaus and Rebekah," Damon groaned, thinking all of the things that I was thinking. I think we shared an entire conversation with just one look at each other.

"Wait . . . there's . . ." but then Alice went silent.

"Well isn't this a pretty picture?"

Klaus.

Immediately I saw Edward throw Bella behind him in a flash that mortal eyes wouldn't have detected. "I swear on any god you name that I will rip you to pieces if you take one more step," Edward growled, making even Damon flinch.

It was then that I realized that we did have a slight upper hand: Klaus didn't know that we were aware of the fact that killing our original bloodline would destroy us as well. Also, Klaus didn't even know about Jacob and the other wolves. Yeah, it wasn't a gigantic upper hand, but it was something. Knowledge was power.

Klaus chuckled, enjoying the circumstance before him. It took me every ounce of strength not to punch that slimy grin right off his face. Luckily, I wasn't that impulsive. Damon, on the other hand . . .

"You heard him," Damon said, quickly getting in front of both Edward and Bella. "I wouldn't fuck with the Cullens," Damon said, nodding his head towards Edward's family, who were all ready to pounce on Klaus if he moved any closer.

This time Klaus laughed. A big howl escaped his lips, and I could tell that terror was not an emotion he was currently experiencing.

"Two originals, one of them a hybrid, versus some sparkly wannabe vampires?" he asked, looking towards Rebekah, who also had a sly grin plastered on her face. "I think we'll take our chances, mate." He stared at Edward, "Though . . . that is a pretty shade of copper. Surviving on the old Stefan diet, are we?"

"Don't think it makes us any weaker," Carlisle growled.

"Yeah," Emmett chimed in, "take your best fucking shot, _mate_."

And then, seconds before a bloodbath would surely ensue, something happened. Klaus' cocky expression slowly turned into a blank stare and then a deep grimace. "No," he muttered harshly, slowly turning around.

We all followed his eyes to the man that was now standing merely feet from him.

"Elijah."

"Hello again," he spoke, nodding towards Damon and then me.

"Let me guess," Rebekah started, "you're here to side with the Salvatore brothers and the fairy vampires?" Elijah grinned and continued to walk in circles around Klaus. "We are family!" Rebekah yelled, tears beginning to form in her eyes. She could go from arrogant to frantic in an instant.

"Yes, and nothing is as important as_ family_, right?" Elijah asked.

Rebekah nodded, Klaus continued to stare.

"Then you will not touch a hair on her body," Elijah said, motioning towards Bella.

"What are you saying?" Klaus finally spoke.

"Melanie," Elijah muttered, making Rebekah gasp.

"You are not to speak that name," Klaus demanded.

Elijah came to a stop in front of Edward, Damon, and Bella. "Take a look at her, brother," he said. Klaus stared at Bella, but still looked confused. "Add on five years, take away the t-shirt and the sneakers and the straight hair. Who do you see?" I noticed the blood rushing from Klaus' face. "Elena's not the only one who's a doppelganger," Elijah whispered.

Klaus appeared as if he had been shot, like he was about to fall to the ground. I don't think he had gotten a good look at Bella until that very moment.

"How could you not have seen it, Niklaus?" Elijah asked.

"Wait a second," Damon chimed in, "who the hell is Melanie?"

Klaus broke his stare from Bella to look at my brother. "Melanie . . . my wife."

Damon stood there, flabbergasted. "You've got to be kidding . . ."


	5. Chapter 5

**When Vampires Collide**

**Chapter 5 – Doppelganger in Distress **

**Author's note**: I apologize for not posting this sooner! I actually had it written for a while, but couldn't access it. So, I hope you'll forgive me. Please write a review if you get time, and I in return will try and get the next chapter up very soon!

**Bella POV**

_Wife_?

I felt my head begin to throb, causing my already horrible balance to diminish. As I felt my body begin to fall clumsily toward the hard ground, I suddenly felt two strong arms catch me . . . But not the ice cold arms that I was expecting.

Klaus.

"Get your fucking hands off her," I heard Edward growl in a voice I hadn't heard since that fateful night in the ballet studio. Sometimes I forgot that such a demon-like vocal sound could come from someone like Edward. It was like hearing an angel possessed by the devil.

Before I had time to digest the fact that Edward was now inching towards me, trying to break the robust hold of both Emmett and Carlisle, I felt myself being lifted in the opposite direction by another pair of strong arms.

Damon.

"You must have a death wish," I heard Klaus say.

My face shot up, and I hastily made eye contact with Damon. Our eyes only met for a brief second, perhaps from the horror that was pouring off of both of us.

"Oh my gosh . . . she . . . is Melanie," Klaus' blonde accomplice whispered. I think I had heard her being referred to as Rebekah . . . it was hard to remember, though. "She looks just like her, doesn't she?" She shook her head. "She's a doppelganger, right? She has to be."

Everything was just happening so fast, and I was just standing there like a deer caught in headlights.

"Jacob, get Elena out of here," I heard Stefan say in the background. I also heard Elena refuse, but within minutes both she and Jacob were gone. I felt comfort knowing at least_ they_ were safe.

That was something.

I allowed my body to take in a one deep breath. I didn't have any clue to what anyone was talking about, but I suddenly felt the urge to prepare myself for the worst.

"Don't hurt him," I whimpered to Klaus. Since Damon had just swooped in to save me, I thought it would be just to do the same for him in return, especially since he seemed to be alarmed. When a vampire gets scared it's kind of a warning: They're pretty much indestructible. If they're afraid, then you should be _very_ afraid.

"Klaus," Elijah warned, "don't do this." Klaus gave him a cocky glower in return. Elijah let out an annoyed sigh. "Melanie lied to you. She fabricated her premonition to fulfill her own agenda."

"You know nothing, Elijah," Klaus replied simply. "Besides . . . Even if your conspiracy theories turned out to be true, all that will be lost is this one girl."

I looked back at Klaus and realized it was me, not Damon, who he wanted to kill.

I felt Damon squeeze my left shoulder in reassurance, but his face was still paralyzed with worry.

"You won't kill her," Elijah assured him. "She is the exact image of your darling Emily." Elijah shrugged. "You simply don't have it in you, Niklaus."

"She's a doppelganger," Klaus snapped back. "She is _not_ Melanie. Look at Katherine and Elena; you can't even compare the two."

"Yes, but that would mean that Melanie's _blood _runs through _her_ veins!"

Klaus looked back at me, and I swear I saw his body shiver.

"More reason to kill her," Rebekah snarled. "If she's any relation to that bitch, I'll take care of her myself."

By this time Edward had broken through his family's vampire strength. He now shielded both me and Damon from Klaus' deathly glare.

"What's this?" Klaus asked, somehow looking both entertained and horrified. "Do you have any idea what I'm capable of?" He stepped up so that he was now staring Edward right in the eye, their faces inches away. "You're just a child," Klaus whispered to him.

"He's more of a man than you'll ever be," Stefan's voice rang in.

Klaus winced and turned around. I immediately felt at least some panic slip away. I no longer felt those cold, calculating eyes upon me. I took this moment to look back up at Damon again, and he quickly caught my gaze.

"Oh, and this coming from the big bad Rippaaa," Klaus laughed. "You must be joking . . ."

I silently wondered if I was the only one lost.

It would be a death so fitting for me: To die in the dark, not knowing any purpose for it.

Without a moment's notice Klaus had Edward by the collar, looking him directly in the eye.

"Let him go!" I shrieked, my courage and strength surprising me more by the moment. I had actually broken free from one of Damon's arms. The fear had completely vanished now. I almost felt . . . high. My adrenaline kicked into overdrive.

Edward. My sweet, loving Edward. Klaus wasn't going to touch _one _hair on his head.

"Kill me!" I ordered Klaus. "Do it now, not him, not anyone else."

Klaus gave a half shrug, acting like this was a conversation about something he was barely interested in anymore.

I just didn't _get_ Klaus. I couldn't read him . . . Not at all. It was maddening.

"Allow me," Rebekah said, slightly baring her fangs, her face changing from supermodel to monster. I watched in horror.

"No," Klaus howled. "Rebekah, get _out of here_," he demanded.

"You're not going to tell me what to . . ."

"_Now_," he said, this time with more fury. "Listen to me this one fucking time!"

She scoffed, but something in his voice must have convinced her to do what he told her. In seconds she was gone.

"Bella's blood," Klaus spoke slowly to Edward, "You need to drink it. Drink every last drop until her lifeless body lay limp in your arms."

Almost before he even had time to finish the sentence . . . He was gone.

Vanished.

Elijah, too.

Edward was being held back again, this time Jasper pitched in as well.

"No, stop him!" I screamed. I couldn't let Edward race after him. I wasn't about to let _any_ of my loved ones get hurt by that psycho. "Klaus will kill Edward if he goes after him . . ."

"Let me go!" Edward screamed, in a dark voice I hadn't heard since . . .

Well . . . _Never_. It wasn't just icy and venomous . . . There was a hint of desire in his voice. It was unrecognizable . . . which was more terrifying than anything.

It was then that I realized what was happening. They weren't holding back his defensive rage . . .

They were holding back his blood thirst.

I forgot. Klaus was an original. Edward was under compulsion.

He was thirsting for _my _blood.

I felt a heat wave gust through my body, and I could do nothing but stand there, trying desperately to persuade myself that he would never hurt me, under compulsion or not. It was _Edward_. Edward wouldn't . . . no . . . he _couldn't_ hurt me.

"Bella," Edward pleaded, "come to me, love." His voice was tender and virtuous, and just the sound of it made me want to obey.

But before I had time to consider his request, I was cast out from the situation. "Run," Carlisle commanded Damon.

Then I felt the wind smash me directly in my face. I could feel Damon clutching me against his black sweater, moving at such speed that my human mind could barely notice it, especially at a time like this. "Da . . . Damon," I managed to wince out.

"Hold on tight, Bella. We've got a famished vamp on our hands."

**Stefan POV**

Hopeless.

The room was thick with it. Carlisle had his head down, looking as defeated as ever. Emmett remained pumped up and unwavering, ready to take Edward down again if necessary, and Jasper looked both weary and bothered.

And me? Discouraged . . . But I knew I had to remain positive, maybe come up with a way to get Klaus to reverse his compulsion on Edward . . . Convince him that whatever the reason was that Bella had to die was ludicrous, perhaps detrimental to him. But for starters, we're needed to figure out why he wanted Bella dead.

To be honest, I was just as confused as everyone else was. I didn't have a clue to what Klaus could possibly gain from killing a descendant of his one true love.

I had just gotten done texting Damon:

S: You and Bella safe?

D: Yes. Wtf? Klaus had a wife?

S: Guess so

D: Bella? Doppleganger?

S: Looks like it

Damon: And he wants to kill her why?

S: Don't know

Damon: You've been a big help bro

"That's the last chain we had," Alice said quietly, walking out of what Emmett had nicknamed "the vamp chamber" and into Carlisle's immaculate study.

Edward was being held in a former walk-in closet, which was now a state of the art jail cell . . . Or at least we hoped it was. This was our last shot. If this didn't hold him we were screwed. These vampires seemed to have much more physical strength than our kind, which was an advantage since they were on our side.

"Bring me _Bella_!" I heard him plead. He sounded so frantic, so capable of doing anything and everything to sink his teeth into his reason for living. "Carlisle!" His screams of agony echoed throughout the enormous house, sending a shiver down my spine. Esme and Rosalie had left; Rosalie out of mere annoyance, Esme out of extreme grief.

"Jasper! Please . . . Jazz . . . You understand, right? I _need_ it, Jasper. I need _her_." Then we heard the chains rattling again against the steel bars.

"What on earth are we going to do?" Carlisle asked, to no one in particular.

Emmett grumbled loudly, obviously not knowing the solution. Jasper kept his hand on his chin, rubbing it unenthusiastically, looking deep in thought. His eyes remained unfocused, his breath held at a lethargic pace.

"We have to get Klaus to take it off," I said simply.

"Done," Emmett replied, bouncing from the desk chair, making the floor where he landed tremble. "I'm going to hunt him down, tear him limb . . ."

"_Emmett_," Carlisle scolded, looking irritated at his boyish arrogance. "We can't do anything rash."

"Carlisle's right," I replied. "We need a plan . . . and a_ good_ one."

"You useless mother-fuckers bring me Bella or I will kill _every single one of you_."

I sighed. "And soon."

After I left the Cullens, I swooped up Elena from the reservation where Jacob lived. There was so much breath-taking landscape, but I was in no state of mind to enjoy it. The rain was really starting to come down as Elena ran to my car from Jacob's small house. "Are you alright?" I asked her, kissing the top of her head.

She pulled away almost immediately. "We have an . . . issue."

"What else is new?" Even I couldn't help being sarcastic in times like these.

"It's . . . Rebekah."

"What happened?" I asked.

"She's dead," Damon replied, walking up to the car just as a clasp of thunder echoed throughout the sky. Damon looked up and added, "_Creepy_."

"_What_? Are you joking?" I asked in total shock. Bella was not far behind Damon. She was walking slow, gazing at her feet, looking completely traumatized. "Is Bella okay?"

"Oh, yeah, she's fine," Damon replied nonchalantly. "She just saw little Jake here tear Rebekah to shreds."

"What?"

Damon shrugged at me with a grin. "Would it interest you to know that shape-shifters can kill originals?"


	6. Chapter 6

**When Vampires Collide**

**Chapter Six – Being Noble**

**Author's note**: Gracias for the reviews, guys! And look — I'm getting these chapters out faster than ever. Keep 'em up! They inspire me more than you could know, and I'm so appreciative for each one.

**Edward POV**

Bella: My lovely, _delectable_ Bella.

I imagined the smooth color of her blood, the way it practically looked photoshopped it was so magnificent. The color, so erotic and mesmerizing, was like an aphrodisiac to my vampire senses. Just picturing her blood near my lips caused venom to spill out inside my mouth.

"Damon," I whispered. "Open the gate."

They must have placed him as my official guard for day three of being in this ridiculous contraption.

"No way, Eddie," he replied, flicking lint from his shirt at me.

"_Open the gate_!"

"Okay," he sneered, "let's say I do in fact open the gate — are you alright with having to face me?"

I growled. "I'll rip you to pieces."

He chuckled. "God, you remind me so much of my brother." He glared at me through the bars, tapping his fingers together in a very annoying way. "You angst-ridden vampire high school kids." He grinned.

"Fuck you."

I had to get him mad . . . Mad enough let me out of this damn cell. I'd gladly take him on for a mere chance of running towards the hypnotizing scent of Bella's blood.

"The _f-bomb_? You've been using that a lot, Eddie," he replied. "How emo of you."

"I know you want Bella, too. Looks like I'm the only one in this room man enough to take what I want."

He rolled his eyes.

I smirked. "Oh, that's right. You desire her in more ways than just her blood." I felt my body chuckle as I heard his vampire heart rapidly speed up.

_Moron_.

"You could _have_ her, Damon. You could have her blood and her body. She'd hardly be able to stop you."

I suddenly felt my body slam against the hard steel bars. "You listen here, fuckface," Damon said holding me above the ground from the other side, "you're talking about Bella, the only good thing in your _pathetic_ life. You. Are. Compelled!" He shouted each word into ear, trying to get through to me.

Like I said . . . moron!

I did hear what he was saying, though. I even understood it. I had been compelled to drink Bella's blood, who I loved more than life itself. It didn't matter.

It just didn't fucking matter.

Her blood would be mine.

"You love her, idiot," he scoffed.

"I do."

"I see. So I should just go ahead and bite her and force myself on her?"

I smiled. "Whatever floats you boat."

Even through my blood thirst, the thought of him touching her made my skin crawl. But . . . I knew he wouldn't do it. He cared and I needed to use that to my advantage in any way I possibly could.

He looked down at his watch and sighed, deciding to do the silent thing for another couple hours, which I appreciated. I stayed quiet, too, and listened to his thoughts in search of information — any information at all to help me escape this hideous confinement.

**Jacob POV**

"Fucking dog."

Day four.

Why the hell I got stuck on leech patrol was beyond me, but Elena convinced me it was the right thing to do. Elena could pretty much convince me to do anything. Any words that came from her mouth I wanted to obey. It was incredible . . .

I had always made jokes about the imprinting thing, and I definitely never thought it would happen to me.

But it did.

Edward began snickering. "She's not even into you, _mutt_," he said. "Kind of like how Bella was repulsed by you, also."

He was trying to get under my skin. I guess he figured an "adolescent, hormone-fueled werewolf", as he had once called me, would cave and open the gate to kick his pale ass. He really underestimated me.

Not that I _couldn't _kick his ass; I just wouldn't.

"You _wish_," he spat. "You're even more ignorant than you look." He crossed his legs, leaning against the back of one of those plastic, white lawn chairs, which was the only thing in the cell besides him. "I've heard her thoughts, Jacob. _Believe_ me. The idea of your arms around her makes her want to vomit."

What time did they say someone was coming in for the overnight shift?

"Bella used to laugh with me when we spoke of you. 'That stupid, smelly mongrel.' Oh, we'd laugh ourselves silly over your humiliating life."

I've never wanted to punch someone in the face so much.

"No girl wants to fuck a dog."

"That's it," I announced. "I'm done!"

**Edward POV**

That cocky grin of his . . . I wanted to rip it off his fucking face.

Stefan Salvatore.

He was the vampire AC Slater, high-school football star, even! This kid was stopping me from sucking and then licking up any drops left over from my dear Bella's fragile body. Yes, he may have been older in actual vampire years, but we were both 17 in theory — and he sure as hell acted like it more than I did.

"Wanting to kick a bunch of children's assses in football? Trying to make up for some short-comings?" I asked, nodding towards his crotch.

"Ah, football," he said. "Yeah, trying to fit in and all, and of course trying to impress Elena. You always want to impress the one you love."

Stefan was the worst of all the guards. He would get mushy, try and tap into my "inner self", and yap about unimportant things that didn't involve Bella's blood.

Stefan Salvatore was my own personal hell.

I suddenly missed Damon's annoying habits and predictable one-liners.

"Let me out and I'll kill Jacob for you," I offered. "That whole imprinting thing must be a nuisance." Hey . . . It was worth a shot.

He just sighed and grinned slightly. "She's your heart, you know? You'll kill yourself if you end up hurting her."

I nodded. "I know."

And I did. I loved Bella more than anything, so I had a plan: Drink her dry, let her die _human_, therefore sending her to heaven with her _good_ soul, and then I'll run off to Volterra. It was a noble plan . . . _Saintly_ even! Just as long as I got the chance to drink her dry . . .

"She told me about when you first met, how much you wanted her." He shrugged. "I was wondering how you controlled it?"

"By being an imbecile and ignoring my inner instincts."

He leaned back against the stone wall. "I've been where you've been Edward_._ I _know_ this!"

"Please, no more inspirational bloodaholic speeches," I begged. "I can't take them anymore."

He ignored my pleas. "Luckily my best friend, Lexi, was there for me through times like this." He smiled, remembering a time he had at a Bon Jovi concert with an attractive blonde girl, and I assumed vampire. "I never would have gotten through it without her."

"Don't care, Stefan."

He paused. "Who's your best friend?"

I sighed. "Bella."

**Bella POV**

As I walked into the closet . . . or Dungeon, I suddenly felt Edward's eyes on me, bearing into my spirit, into my very core. In a bizarre way, I'd never felt more connected to him. It was almost _sensuous_. I had to remind myself that he wasn't looking at me like that because he wanted my body. He only wanted my blood.

But my heart wavered for him.

Here he was, so vulnerable and sick, and this time he needed _my_ help. I was determined: I was going to help him.

I was going to _save_ him.

Damon, Emmett, Jasper, and Stefan were just feet away, in case he broke out, which was probable. Thirst could make a vampire do some implausible things.

"Oh, _Bella_," he wailed, opening his arms up through the bars. He was looking at me like he hadn't seen me in a hundred years. "Come, love, come."

"No."

He winced. "Don't you trust me, Bella?"

"No . . . Not right now." I kneeled down closer, making Damon scold me for doing so. I didn't care. "You're under compulsion, Edward. You were _tricked_ into feeling this way." I tried to keep them out, but tears filled my eyes. "I'm here to _support_ you and _help_ you through this. Please . . . Edward, I love you so much. Let me help you."

"I love you, too," he whispered, and I heard the old Edward. His voice was no longer the voice of a ravenous man. His voice was the sound of someone in love.

I had gotten through.

He was back!

I reached up my hand to brush the hair from his forehead and that's when it happened . . .

His mouth latched onto my wrist sadistically, and I suddenly felt my blood begin to drain, but only for a second. Damon had me pulled back into safety within moments. I felt my skin rip as he did this, though, and I started to yelp out in pain.

"We need some help here!" I heard Damon yell, as my body started to convulse with horrific agony . . . agony I remembered all too well.

"We _have_ to get the venom out!" I heard Jasper yell.

I suddenly remembered why they had probably thought it was a bad idea not to tell Carlisle about my little consultation with Edward: Now Carlisle wasn't here to suck the venom out! He was all the way at the hospital. There's no way he would make it in time. I never wanted to lie to him, I just knew Carlisle would have never have agreed to let me see Edward. He was too practical.

"Emmett, you _have_ to do it," Jasper yelled from what seemed like rooms away. Obviously, Jasper was in no position to save the day. He was probably craving my blood just as much as Edward was.

I looked up and everything was so foggy. I think Emmett was holding his hand over his mouth and nose. "Dude . . . I don't think I _can_!" Through a wave of colors I saw Emmett take his hand down and take in a breath. "No, Jazz, I'll kill her, man!"

"Let me out!" Edward screamed, shaking the bars so hard the ground below me was trembling violently.

"I'll do it," Damon said.

Damon.

"I can control myself," he vowed.

"No," Stefan replied. "We don't know what their venom does to us! It could _kill_ you, Damon."

I felt Damon suddenly lift up my arm. "I'll take that chance."

And then, like a heavenly dream, I felt my mind and body slip back into reality, where the first thing I saw clearly was Damon's piercing blue eyes, looking down at me with concern. His stare was making me feel a way I couldn't describe.

It was almost as if we were the only two in the room.

He had just saved my life — again.

"Are you okay?" He asked me, rubbing his hand tenderly on my neck.

All I could do was nod.

**Klaus POV**

I was simply drinking my brandy at my new extravagant house in Forks, minding my own business, when Elijah came barging in, looking ready to kill me.

Bloody hell! I never should have invited him in.

"Well you certainly seem to be in a nark," I quipped.

"Niklaus," he gasped. "It's Rebekah . . . she's dea—"

I held my hand up. "She's fine."

"What do you mean 'she's fine'?" He yelled. "The shape-shifter killed her."

I walked up to my brother and placed one hand on his cheek. "Did you really think I would allow such a thing? The murder of our sister?"

Elijah glared at me, frustrated. "Her body was ripped to _pieces_!"

I took my hand from his face and waved it in the air. "Things aren't always what they seem . . ."

He then looked at my hopeful. "So she's alive?"

I tilted my head. "Not exactly, but she's not dead either. I'm sure she's feeling a bit knackered, though." He obviously wanted more information, but to be honest, I didn't know if I could trust him with such information. We were not close like those sentimental Salvatore brothers.

"Then how? A spell?"

I smiled. "But of course. I have always been known to keep a witch or two in my back pocket," I smirked, "Just in case."

"Where is she?"

"Well, you were right about her body being shredded to pieces. I gathered what I could of them, but most of the body parts were badly butchered. But not to worry . . . our dear sister has found someone else's body to use."

Elijah looked concerned. "Who? Do I even want to know?"

"That blonde Cullen gal, the real stunner," I told him. "She's actually busy playing the part of dear Rosalie right now."

"Where is she?"

"With Esme at the moment. She called about an hour ago. Esme keeps telling her she's not acting like herself, but she would never suspect the truth." I shrugged. "The only downside for Rebekah is that she can no longer able to compel, do to Rosalie being in the body with her."

"Both of them in her body together?" he asked.

"Oh, Rosalie is in there, but she'll never see the light of day again. Rebekah is too strong for Rosalie to ever take control of her body again." I lifted my glass in celebration.

"We never should have come here," Elijah stated.

"Oh, yes, we should have, Elijah," I told him. "I may have come looking for a shield from the cold ones' powers, but I found something so much more. I found Melanie's doppelganger." I downed the last of my brandy. "And believe me, brother, revenge is going to be sweet." I smiled at him. "Cheers!"


End file.
